Sebastian Vettel will start Sunday's Austrian Grand Prix from sixth on the grid after being given a three-place grid drop for impeding in qualifying.

The Ferrari driver had qualified third for the race at the Red Bull Ring, however, was summoned to the stewards for an incident in Q2 which saw Carlos Sainz have to take to the run-off area on the exit of Turn 1 after starting a hot lap.

Talking to the media beforehand, he admitted a lack of communication was the reason for what occurred having passed the Renault driver on the lap before.

“I was turning into Turn 1 and thinking he must be there somewhere but as it turned out he was trying to go for a fast lap but I couldn’t see him.

“I wasn’t told over the radio so I can only apologise to him. There was no intention, I was looking with my head down the straight.

“It’s impossible to see, I wasn’t told anything, normally I get told very well. I can only apologise and fortunately, it didn’t make a difference for him.”

Indeed, there were no repercussions for Sainz as he would make Q3, eventually finishing ninth, and even he had seemingly already moved on when going through it later.

"I don't want to put too much blame on Sebastian," he told Sky Sports. "It has happened to me before, that your engineer doesn't tell you that there is one car is just starting a lap and you simply don't look in the mirrors.

"I've got a penalty before for this, I don't know how the stewards will react [this time].

"To be honest, I'm not too bothered if Sebastian gets it, I will understand if he doesn't also because it's tough luck on him that he wasn't told I was coming. But it did cost me a front wing."

Despite the Red Bull junior's lack of interest in a penalty, the stewards took a different view.

"It is the belief of the stewards that notwithstanding the absence of a radio call, the driver of car five (Vettel), being aware of the issue of rear vision with his mirrors, should not have been so slow and on the racing line, during a slowdown lap in qualification," their explanation read.

"Having reviewed all alleged impeding incidents since the beginning of 2016, the penalty of a drop of three grid positions is consistent with all other similar incidents."